Read Online Ravished by Julia Keaton - Free Book Online

he’d come to prepare.
     
    * * * *
     
              Alex cautiously
found her way back to the manor, invigorated by her cleansing and the fact that
she’d succeeded in at least one thing tonight.
              Her ‘rope’ still
hung undisturbed she saw, and she ran to it, practically skipping with
excitement.
              Alex grabbed a
length and started hauling herself up when a dread voice spoke behind her,
“Where do you think you are going?”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
     
              Alex froze and
swallowed her heart.  Putting on a calm facade, which in no way mirrored her
own turbulent thoughts, she dropped back to the ground and faced him, prepared
for her doom.  He looked inordinately pleased with himself.
              “I am going
nowhere, my lord.  Do you fear I would run away?”  She was proud of how smooth
her voice when she spoke, belying none of the anxiety she felt gazing upon
him.  Discreetly, she dared to glance about for an alternate route of flight
should necessity warrant it.
              “Now why shouldst I
think that?  Wherefore do you gallivant about in the night, as though you have
the run of the manor?”
              “I was not aware I
was a prisoner, my lord.  Had I but known, I would have remained in my room for
my allowance of torture.”
              He chuckled and
stroked his chin, looking deep in thought.  “You have a sharp tongue, boy.  I
wouldst have the truth from you, however.  You are a pup, I was much the same
as you at your age.  Were you, perchance, seeking a bed-fellow to shine your
pretty bauble?”
              Alex gasped,
outraged.  “My lord, your mind runs most foul.”
              “Aye, ‘tis the mind
of a man.”  He looked at her in silent speculation, his eyes revealing none of
his odious imaginings.  “Are you yet untouched?  We shall have to remedy that.” 
              She didn’t dare
answer him, but her throat had closed of a sudden and she couldn’t if she had
wanted.  He moved close, crowding her, a wolfish smile on his lips as he gazed
down at her.  She hadn’t realized before now the potency of his maleness.  It
thrilled and scared her all at once.  An indefinable flutter of weakness
assailed her, making her knees watery.  She almost wished things could be
different, that she wasn’t who she was.
              Alex eased her back
against the cool stone as if she could melt into it, attempting to gain a
measure of distance from him, but he remained unnervingly near.  If she tilted
her mouth just so, she could kiss him.  Somehow, the insane thought persisted,
and it was all she could do not to enact her madness.  Saints, she’d known the
demon spawn but for a few hours, but already he weakened her resolve,
distracted her from her purpose.  She clenched her jaw, feigning anger.  “If
you must know, I was training.  ‘Tis something I do to improve my strength.”
              “I see.”  He was
close enough she could catch his scent, the smell of his clean skin tantalizing
her senses, danger a seduction all its own.  Alex swallowed hard, trying to
clear her head of his enticing scent.  If she’d been a ‘woman’ in this
situation, what would he do, what would be different?  The fantasy of being
trapped, helpless against the wall as he ravished her played out in her mind. 
She bit her lip, squeezing her thighs tight, embarrassed at her bold thoughts.
              “If ‘tis strength
you need, we shall put you through your paces in the field on the morrow.”  He
clamped a hand on her arm, squeezing, kneading the muscle.  “From the feel of
you, I can tell you’ve sorely lacked in training.  You feel as puny as a girl .”
              As a girl!  
His arrogance snapped her out of carnal fantasy.  Furious, she tried to snatch
her arm away, but he held tight.  She